Who is Stephen Leedy? Florida doctor directed ‘minors’ to produce sexually explicit images, ‘cut, choke, and hang….’

Who is Stephen Leedy? Florida doctor directed ‘minors’ to produce sexually explicit images, ‘cut, choke, and hang….’

Who is Stephen Leedy? Florida doctor directed ‘minors’ to produce sexually explicit images, ‘cut, choke, and hang….’ ByShweta Kukreti Jan 08, 2025 05:46 PM IST Share Via Copy Link Stephen Leedy, a palliative care physician in Florida, has been charged with allegedly sexually abusing minors and encouraging them to hurt themselves.

In Florida, a palliative care physician has been charged with allegedly sexually abusing minors and encouraging them to hurt themselves while he interacted with them via video call.

Stepehen Leedy was held in October, but he wasn’t officially indicted until last week ( Image: Florida Hospice & Palliative Care Association)

In an indictment filed on December 26, Stephen Leedy, a palliative care physician in the Tampa Bay region, of St. Petersburg, was accused of two counts of forcing or luring a minor to indulge in sexual activity and three counts of producing material pertaining to child sexual abuse.

A press release from the Justice Department stated that Leedy, 59, used the username ‘maximumuncle#9112’ to sexually abuse and assault about 10 youngsters online, in accordance with the indictment and court records, The Mirror reported,

“In online conversations and video chats, Leedy instructed the minors to produce sexually explicit images of themselves and directed them to cut, choke, and hang themselves. In November 2021, Minor Victim 1 was discovered deceased, having hanged herself in front of her phone in a manner consistent with instructions Leedy had previously provided her.”

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Prosecutors detailed the unsettling accusations against Leedy in a pretrial application for detention filed on December 17, according to Law&Crime. The evidence against Leedy, as per the prosecution, is “extremely strong” and detailed his alleged filthy deeds with roughly ten underage victims.

Prosecution further said Leedy coached other girls via video chats and messages using his internet identity. He gave them instructions to use items from their home to engage in sexual and hazardous activities with themselves.

He ordered a 13-year-old girl to “cut her breasts with a blade” and then strangle herself, the prosecution said, while another was instructed to carry out “daily hangings.”

“Can ur life be full with cutting your boobs and tmmy for daddy, not eating and puking for daddy,” the physician allegedly wrote in a message to the teenager “Go get the belt so we can start choking u,” he allegedly added.

Leedy was taken into custody in October, but he wasn't formally charged until last week.

Leedy, who has been practicing medicine since January 1991, may get life imprisonment if found guilty.

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